Pacman makes Roach smile

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao Latest News from fightnews.com Thu, 08 Oct 2009

Manny Pacquiao is picking up more speed and more intensity in his training for the Nov. 14 battle with Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico. “Manny’s improving each passing day,” top trainer Freddie Roach told Manila Bulletin and fightnews after watching the lethal-hitting Filipino lefty rack up his 24th round of sparring on Thursday at the Shape Up Gym in Baguio City. “It was another very god day of sparring,” said the 49-year-old Roach, who has been calling the shots in Pacquiao’s corner since mid-2001. For the third straight sparring day, Pacquiao logged three rounds each with undefeated super-welterweight Shawn Porter and super-lightweight Urbano Antillon, something that brought a smile to Roach’s usually stoic face.

Roach said he hasn’t decided yet when to hike the number of sparring rounds from six to seven since Mexican body-puncher Jose Luis Castillo, touted to give Pacquiao a rough time in sparring, hasn’t arrived yet even though he was expected to show up as early as Tuesday. Latest news reveal that the rugged Castillo, a former world lightweight champion now campaigning at welterweight, will plane in on Saturday morning.

Pacquiao, according to Roach, will log a total of 150 rounds of sparring by the time he gets up the ring to trade bombs with Cotto at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas...

Read Full Story...